Any way to judge levels on a daily basis?

[rosiebones]

If someone has diabetes they can now easily judge their levels and send them in via smart phones etc.. Is there any way to judge thyroid levels simillarly? Currently I have to go by how I feel, emotionally and physically and my weight. I find the blood tests and waiting, then waiting for the next blood test ..... and on again, just not satisfactory.

[Fruitandnutcase]

I keep saying that too. Not only that people who are diabetic are considered to be responsible enough to know when alter their insulin to suit their body.

What you suggest would be ideal, maybe it will happen for us some day.

Liz

[helvella Administrator in reply to Fruitandnutcase]

There seems to have been a movement away from providing the supplies necessary to perform the tests for blood glucose. I have certainly read of a number of diabetics being refused in the relatively recent past.

Rod

[rosiebones in reply to Fruitandnutcase]

Where there is a will, as they say. I'm away for a while but on return will follow up on this. A solution has to be found ...... Rosie

[tegz]

I have a tester that doesSerum Uric Acid [as well as Blood sugar] which well useful when trying to sort out what was happening with VERY painful gout. The test strips are expensive and don't have a long shelf life but it was handy to keep track on illness.

This would be invaluable to have for thyroid checks as suggested and as there must be many more with this condition prove cheaper after a while.

I hope some enterprising firm gets on it- must be a huge market!.

[rosiebones in reply to tegz]

Sounds hopeful. Any more information available?

[tegz in reply to rosiebones]

If you do a search they all seem to be lab based 'send away' tests. No surprise as hormones are different to iron ,sugar,urate etc.but who's to say what's round the corner?

There's a biggy here -but I'd hate to ask the price...

detail.en.china.cn/provide/...

[sarahstevenson]

My husband's cousin has an amazing box of tricks to monitor his diabetes and can even now photograph a meal and have feedback as to how much insulin he will need or not need in a day - It's a trial going on at Southampton and he had to go there as an inpatient for a week to be trained how to use it. I wish . . . . . . . . .

[rosiebones in reply to sarahstevenson]

Sounds like the sort of thing. Can anyone contact the Southampton lot to see if it can be adapted?

[helvella Administrator]

I absolutely agree that the current test regime - which amounts to one test a year for the majority - is wholly inadequate. It cannot take account of seasonal variability, the impact of other diseases (even something as simple a a cold or other minor bug), and so on. Nor does our regime take account of time of day for drawing blood samples.

It would be wonderful if some relatively simple, and of course cheap, test could be developed. Even if it is not perfect, it might be sufficient to indicate the need and provide the justification for another test.

Some time ago I did blog about a TSH test mechanism which relied on a mobile phone. But it was in development and did not seem to be near being marketed to or for the public.

Rod

[rosiebones in reply to helvella]

Yes and yes. I had forgotten to mention about the difference depending on the time of day blood samples are taken. Looking at the postings people seem to be most frustrated at the inability to manage to keep level. I certainly am and also being able to predict how I will be on any given day. Any chance that TSH mechanism is nearer marketing? I would gladly be a guinea pig if they needed one. Rosie

[sarahstevenson]

What really impressed me regarding cousins diabetes regime was how ell educated he has had to be through the NHS training regarding monitoring his "stress" levels for the day and predicting ahead counting emotional / physical etc etc and the effects this has on his insulin blood sugar - and yet when I asked my endo whether there are circadian rhythms to consider in Hypo she gave an emphatic "no" -

[rosiebones in reply to sarahstevenson]

My response to the first part was great, let's all have it and to your endo response, Hrumph!

[Cheerfulone]

Well said, it would be a Good Thing. Lol.

[rosiebones in reply to Cheerfulone]

Thank you. Rosie